1.What Is Significant About Theweather?

ActII,SceneI

1.What is significant about theweather?

Bcmquosaystherearenostarsout.Itmustbecloudy.ThiswasforeshadowedwhenMacbeth said(Act,SceneIV),"Starshideyourfires,letnotlightseemyb!ack anddeepdesires."

2.What do you suppose is keeping Banquo from sleeping?

MorethanlikelyheistroubledbythepossibilitythatMacbethisplanning someevildeed.This issupportedbyBanquosrecognitionthattheWeirdSistersmightbetryingtoenticeMacbeth tohisdamnation,andbyhisresponsetoMacbeth laterinthisscene.

3.·WhatissignificantaboutMacbeth'ssaying,"Ithinknotofthem,"afterBanquohadadmitted todreamingabouttheWeirdSisters?

Heislying,againapparentlytryingtodrawBanquo’sattentionawayfromthepredictions. Asindramaticirony,itisimportanttonotehowShakespearegivestheaudienceenough informationtoseethewholepicture-notjustonecharacter’sview.

4.What does Macbeth mean when he says to Banquo, "If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis, IIt shall make honour for you"?

SinceMacbethisnotheirtothethrone,hewillnotautomaticallysucceedDuncan.Therewill

havetobeatimewhenthethroneisemptywithnoapparentheir.Thenobleswillthenhaveto nameanewking fromtheroyalfamily. Macbethissayingthathewillrepay BanquoifBanquo willspeakinsupportofhisclaimtothethronewhenthetimecomes.

5.What is significant about Banquo'sreply?

HetellsMacbeththathewillnotdoanythingdisloyaltohispresentkinginordertobecomea favoriteofthenewking.Thisissignificantforanumberofreasons:itindicatesthatBanquo suspectsthatMacbethmightbeconsideringdoingsomethingwrong.Secondly,asMacbeth’s foil, BanquoshowsagainthathehasnotbeenaffectedbytheWeirdSisters'predictions.Hissenseof integrityisintact,andhecannotbetemptedtoabandonhisvaluesforpolitical advancement.

6.In his soliloquy after Banquo leaves, what does Macbeth tell us he sees? What could accountforthisapparition?

Heseesadaggerbeforehim.Macbethsuggeststhatitisahallucination,a'falsecreation"from a "heat-oppressedbrain."

7.Why does Shakespeare have Macbethhallucinate?

Thetragicheromustbeasympatheticcharacte1:ThereforeShakespeareisbeingverycareful toestablish fortheaudiencethatthemurderofDuncanisnotaneasyactforMacbeth,thathe isriddledwithdoubtpriortotheact,andwillbeguilt-riddenafterward.

Act II,Scene II

1.Compare Macbeth's and Lady Macbeth's reactions immediately after the crime.

Macbethisimmediatelyfilledwithgriefandregret.Heknowshisnightswillbetroubled.The sightofDuncan’sbloodonhishands bothershim.Hefeels heisdamned.LadyMacbethrefuses toacknowledgeguilt.Sheiscold anddown-to-business.

2.Why does Lady Macbeth not commit the murder when she is in the room?

BecausethesleepingDuncanresemblesherfather;shecouldnotkillhim.

3.Macbeth, apparently troubled by the murder he has just committed, tells Lady Macbeth what he saw and heard. She tells him, "These deeds must not be thought of this way." Why?

Shebelievesthinkingaboutitwilldrivehimmad.Thisideamaybe foreshadowingandalso fairlyironic,assheistheonewhohasmentalproblemslater.

4.Macbeth's response is frequently quoted. What is the sense of this response?

InkillingDuncanwhileheslept,Macbethcommittedacrimeagainst"nature”,i.e.,sleep.Forhavingcommittedthisunnaturalact,Macbethexpectsheshallsleepnomore. Thisisalsoironic,sinceLaclyMacbeth's sleepisunnaturallater.

5.How does Lady Macbeth get Duncan's blood on her hands?

Macbethrefusestoreentertheroomand replacethedaggersonthedrugged grooms.LadyMacbeth takesthedaggersandsaysthatshewilldoit, forthegroomsmustseemtobethemurderers.

6.What does Macbeth's refusal to return to Duncan's chamber echo?

InActI,SceneIV,Macbethhasdeterminedto"let thatbe,whichtheeye fears,whenitisdone,

tosee."

ActII,SceneIll

1. The Porter's scene, or the "knocking at the gate," is a much debated scene by scholars, but many agree it is the typical comic relief scene seen in Shakespeare's plays. What do you suppose the dramatic purpose of a comic relief scene is? Why is the Porter's soliloquy in prose rather than poetry? What lines contain the bawdy humor so often found in thesescenes?

Afterthebuildingtensionofthemurderanditsaftermath, itgivestheaudienceahumorous breatherbeforethetension beginstobuildagain.InallofShakespeare'splays,thecommon peoplespeakinprose;poetryisreservedfornobilityandthoseintheupperclassesofsociety. Theportercommentsonalcohol and other humorous items.

2.How is the theme of "a crime against nature" reinforced in this scene?

Lennoxtellsofthestrangenighttheyhadinwhichmanyunnaturalthingsoccurred.

3.Wha t does Shakespeare accomplish with Macduff 's allusion to "a new Gorgon"?

TheGorgonsweresistersinclassicalMythology,twoofwhomwereimmortal.Theyweremonsters withwingsandsnake-likehair.Any mortalwho lookedatthemwasturnedinstantlytostone.

Medusa,theonemortalGorgon,wasslainbyPerseus.Withthisallusion,Macduffisessentially sayingthatthesightofDuncan'sbodyissohorribleastoturnamanintostone-leavehim astonished and dumbfounded.

4.How does Macbeth react to the discovery of Duncan's body?

Macbethadmitsimmediateregretandsaysthatheknowsthebestpartofhislifeisover:"Had Ibutdiedanhourbeforethischance,Ihad livedablessedtime;for,fromthisinstant,thereis nothingseriousinmortality."ThisisironicbecauseMacbethkillrd Dimcanostensiblytobring about thebestportionof hislife.However,Macbethdidpredictthathewould feelthiswayif he did kill Duncan.

5.How does Lady Macbethreact?

HerfirstreactionisthatthedeathofDuncanbringsscandaltoherhouse.(Rememberthat thisisa feignedreactionsincesheisinvolvedinthemurder)Thenshe faints.Wedonotknow whetherthisisanhonestreaction,butitisprobablya feinttocoverherearlierblunder.

6.Who is the one who points out the inappropriateness of Lady Macbeth's iniLial response?

Banquo,whoassertsthatthe murderofDuncanwouldbe "toocruelanywhere."Theissueis

notwhereithappened.

7.What is the predominant image in this scene, and what effect does it create?

ThedominantimageisclearlytheimageofDuncan's"silvershinlacedwithhisgoldenblood." ThisemphasizesDuncan'sroyaltyandsuperiornature.

8.What double meaning might Shakespeare have intended for Macbeth's line, "He does:hedid appoint so," in response to Lennox's asking, "Goes the King hence today? "

Macbeth'sresponsecouldbeasimpleaffirmationthat,yes,theKingintendsto!eavetoday.Or thechangefrompresenttopasttensecouldindicateMacbeth'sdifficultyinhidinghisguilt:he doesleavetoday;heintendedtoleavetoday.

ActII,SceneIV

1.What is the purpose of this scene?

•Exposition and passing of time -eventsare narrated for the audience that Shakeespeare does notchoosetodramatize(Duncan'sburial,Macbeth'scoronation,MalcolmandDona!bain's flight).

•A"recapscene"-emphasizestheoddthingsthathappenedthenightofDuncan'smurde1; reiteratesthatthegroomsareconsideredthemurderers,andaddsthatitisassumedMalcolm andDonalbainputthemuptoit.

•Macduff'sdislihe/distrustofMacbethisestablishedbyhisrefusaltogo toSconetoattend Macbeth's coronation. As this coronation would certainly include the nobles' swearing allegiancetotheirnewking,Macduff'srefusaltoattendisessentiallyanactoftreason.

2.What additional natural, or "unnatural," events further the "crime against nature" theme?

Althoughitisdaytime,itisasdarkasnight;asmallowlkillsafalcon;Duncan'shorses turnwildanddevouroneanother;AccordingtoMedievaltradition,thefalconwasalways associated with the King and was the most prized bird in the sportof falconry. By law,only the kingcouldowna falcon.Theowl,bycomparison,beinganocturnalanimal,wasassociated withwitchcraft,secrecy,anddeath.Also,theowlinthispassageisameremousingowl,nota greatbirdofprey.ThesignificanceistoshowhowMacbeth's(representedbytheowl)murder ofDuncan (representedbythe falcon)hasturnedtheorderoftheuniverseupside-down.